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Counterstream Radio is your online home for exploring the music of America’s composers. Drawing upon New Music USA’s substantial library of recordings, our programming is remarkable for its depth and eclecticism. The station streams influential music of many pedigrees 24 hours a day. Keep listening and discover the sound of music without limits.

We once again want to extend our thanks to Co-Commissioners Kathleen & Harvey Guion, who set a strong foundation for this project to grow upon. It would not have been possible without generous donors Suzanne Deal Booth, Shalini Ramanathan & Chris Tomlinson, Eugene Sepulveda & Steven Tomlinson, Mike Chesser, and many other individuals. And of course, we are grateful for NEW MUSIC USA, for their financial support and the fantastic new music community they foster, which we are so happy to be a part of.

Last but not least, we can’t wait to share The Sound of Science with you! Upcoming performances include:

Recording Wrapped & Tickets for the World Premiere Now On Sale

We are incredibly grateful to New Music USA for their support behind this endeavor, and excited to share our progress on The Sound of Science so far!

Jeffrey Zeigler completed the recording of all eight works in May & June with VIA Records, the non-profit, in-house record label and recording studio in National Sawdust. The mastering is currently in progress… and crunch time is on!

Just a few days ago, tickets for the world premiere – happening this November in New York City – went live. Get your ticket or share the event with a friend — they’re not expected to last long. The release of the album will coincide and be available for purchase at the performance.

To get a taste, check out the video above, featuring an excerpt clip of Jeffrey performing Graham Reynold’s Pastaza, based on Barry Chernoff‘s biological research in the Amazon.

There will be more to come as we shape up performance details and finalize further touring! Stay tuned for further updates by following our New Music Project Page, or joining our The Sound of Science Mailing List.

Thanks for your support.

Overview

Co-curated by Jeffrey Zeigler and Graham Reynolds and commissioned by Golden Hornet, The Sound of Science will be a concert and album presenting eight pieces of music by seven celebrated composers. Written for amplified cello and electronics, all pieces will be performed by world-renowned cellist Jeffrey Ziegler, long time member of Kronos Quartet. The premiere will be held in New York City in the Fall of 2018, followed by presentations in Austin, Mexico City, and beyond.

Paired with scientists of their own choosing, composers will create music inspired by and reflective of the scientist’s practice. From West African storytelling and collaborations with Herbie Hancock, to elaborate effects and tours with St. Vincent, each composer is celebrated for their unfettered originality. Lost or living on, the array of scientists represents the minds which intrigue the musicians, and the range of research that has shaped humanity as a whole.

THE COMPOSERS | THE SCIENTISTS

Yuka Honda, born in Japan, based in NYC, and founder of Cibo Matto, is exploring the life and passion of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson, the “Human Computer” who calculated Apollo 11’s route to the moon.

Paola Prestini, NYC composer and Director of National Sawdust, is working with Columbia University Climatologist Andrew Kruczkiewicz as both a scientific and musical collaborator, looking at the climate’s future and significance of data currently being collected.

Maja S.K. Ratjke, a composer of Norway, was raised in the presence of science papers, since her mother, Signe Kjelstrup, is a Professor of Physical Chemistry. Ratjke’s piece will reflect on this intimately personal relationship, and on the impact of her mother’s work on the grander scale of humanity.

Sarah Lipstate is a composer and filmmaker whose solo project Noveller has toured with Iggy Pop, St. Vincent, and many more. Her piece will celebrate the many developments made by Physicist Marie Curie, originator of the radioactive isotopes used in the medical procedure that Sarah underwent in college.

Felipe Pérez Santiago is a Mexican composer who will fulfill his lifelong fascination with the universe through the creation of music celebrating Astronomer Jill Tarter, who has dedicated her life to the search for extraterrestrial life and is sharing her audio recordings with Santiago.

Graham Reynolds, Austin-based composer-bandleader, will explore the efforts of Neuroscientist Kristen Harris, who has spent decades working to elucidate the structural components of the brain as it relates to learning and memory, in one piece of music; and in a second, those of Biologist Barry Chernoff, wholeads research and preservation efforts focused on future generations.

Drawing on the collaborative spirit of rock bands and the composer-led nature of classical music, Golden Hornet commissions new music, fosters young and emerging composers, and presents adventurous works in non-traditional settings. We are a composer laboratory for the 21st century. Find out more here.

Project Media

Foday Musa Suso’s “Salumba”

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Foday grew up farming peanuts in his home country Gambia. G.W. Carver was a man of many disciplines, but he is often recognized as “the peanut man.” In Foday’s words – “I didn’t know science, but I knew peanuts. When I learned of Carver, I realized I could know science.” As Foday composes on the kora, he reflects on the spark Carver provided to him, and the sounds he was hearing in his head were those of the peanut field. This is a work in progress recording, which will be transcribed. As Jeffrey says – “It’s gonna be really gorgeous.”

Jeffrey Zeigler performing Felipe Pérez Santiago’s “Glaub”

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Glaub is the first track on Jeffrey Zeigler’s latest album, “Something of Life.” For it, he collaborated with Felipe Pérez Santiago (Composer, Electric Guitar, Liner Notes) of Mexico City. Both Zeigler and Santiago are involved in THE SOUND OF SCIENCE – Zeigler as Co-Curator and on Solo Cello & Electronics, and Santiago as composer for a piece based on the life and work of Astronomer Jill Tarter. Graham Reynolds was inspired to collaborate with Zeigler after listening to this album, and the resulting exchange sparked THE SOUND OF SCIENCE.

Paola Prestini’s “Body Maps”

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Composed by Paola Prestini, Body Maps is a multimedia work scored for soprano, cello, and electronics, and performed by Jeffrey Zeigler and Hila Plitmann. Commissioned by VisionIntoArt and with visuals by Erika Harrsch, this personal portrait explores the plurality of certain human experiences, highlighting our strengths and vulnerabilities, particularly those of our own bodies. Beyond being a quality example of both Paola & Jeffrey’s work, particularly as it relates to cello and electronics, the work elucidates their interdisciplinary talent.

Project Created By

Drawing on the collaborative spirit of rock bands and the composer-led nature of classical music, Golden Hornet commissions new music, fosters young and emerging composers, and presents adventurous works in non-traditional settings. We are a composer laboratory for the 21st century. Under the artistic direction of composer-bandleader Graham Reynolds, each year we present our always-sold-out…